table tennis

American  

noun

1. a game resembling tennis, played on a table with small paddles and a hollow celluloid or plastic ball.

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table tennis British  

noun

1. a miniature form of tennis played on a table with small bats and a light hollow ball

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Etymology

Origin of table tennis

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Sabbir reads manuals on the theory of navigation, and Islamic texts—or plays table tennis with his crew.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

"I'd love to play table tennis as a living."

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Timothée Chalamet plays table tennis extremely well in ‘Marty Supreme.’

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

As a child she was encouraged to take part in sport and shone at table tennis, but found her calling in winter sports and cross-country skiing in particular.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

He often imagined other things he could have done, or that he could still do: teach in a university, edit a newspaper, coach professional table tennis.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie